


Metallic Lines

by Stardustblu



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, It's not that bad but to be sure, Misunderstandings, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Supernatural Creatures, Violence, Wings, first fic, these are some of the tags for the first few i have planned.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:20:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24543748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stardustblu/pseuds/Stardustblu
Summary: This is the start of the series of unfortunate events by Sil and Vincent, starring some of the others in the team too.Sil is the leader of a defense group relied on by many to safely secure a situation. One day with nothing more than a muted Blue in his ear he sets off to check out the latest issue, finding something he didn't expect along with a mountain of issues, it falls to them to follow the trail to the end.And maybe meet some interesting Beings along the way too.
Relationships: none as of now
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. Glowing Green

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a beginner still learning how this all works, as such this is my first official work being posted. Do note Sil & Vincent's story is a bit odd since they have their own storyline and meant to be a introduction to some others own stories as well. I will work on getting better. I hope you enjoy.

The outside looks like a thousand year abandoned ruin, with broken down walls covered in moss and flower bloomed vines that travel along the still standing walls to the jungled forest. Rusted machinery dots the landscape, showing torn down chairs with broken glass vials, contents long since gone.

Mounds of dirt and animal nests are hidden in the rubble. The earth floor is covered up with twining tree roots, dead leaves and critter holes. Among the roots lies a bronze clasp.

A deer grazes on the lush vegetation, ears flicking back and forth, hearing odd sounds close by. 

The wind blows a light breeze through the trees, scattering loose leaves across the meadow. A few birds can be heard singing as they zip between the branches. A stick breaking alerts the deer, who makes a swift escape back to the forest.

A figure with waist length silver hair and a long coat of white steps into the clearing. Walking along the stone walls, fingers lightly trailing white lines in their wake, lighting up brightly when the figure walks close to the bronze handle, the hand along the wall reaches down, brushing away dead leaves and tightly grasps the handle.

With enough force to break the numerous heavy locks the figure pulls open the locked door. Beneath the door is a ladder, one disappearing into the darkness below, with one last look around the figure jumps down, door slamming shut behind.

-

Landing with a near silent thud Sil turns on his heel as the ladder folds up into the ceiling.

Looking around shows a pristine white hallway, silver ascents run along the walls and over the doors, marble sized black cameras sit in the corners, red dot flickering as it sends a live feed back to it's main computer.

Reaching up Sil presses the small button behind his ear, activating the micro cameras embedded in his eyes. They may have been unconformable to insert but they upload everything into Pandora's system, saving everything for in-depth viewing and analysis. Thanks to the specialized two way chrome earpiece it also has audio.

At the end of the hallway through a set of double doors is a waiting room. The room is barren but clean.

with a few couches a low table in the middle and a small kitchen on the left, a coffee maker sits on the counter with a few clean mugs.

Opposite the doors a wall of solid glass showcasing the bright blue glowing beam of pure elemental energy, it's clear what ever they were doing down here is still in production, even if no human lifeforms remain.

The central point with the beam is a fifty story cylindrical tube, with rooms all the way down. No matter how bright the beam is the bottom remains dark from Sil's viewpoint.

Taking the door on the right Sil starts on the path to the bottom.

-

Each room he passes is _perfect_ clean with no layers of dust, no spiderwebs or even bugs of any kind. It's as if everyone went home for the day, computers still running logs, coffee maker set to 7am, clocks ticking. _Nothing_ is out of place. Frozen in time.

Maybe that's why when something moves, making light sounds as if careful not to be seen or heard, is so loud.

Sil is not young, his body may be stuck on the number twenty five, but his mind is _far_ more advanced, _far_ older. With enough experience to know when it's time to go, to _run_. Not away back to the surface, to natural light and pure unfiltered air, to sound.

But down, deeper into the facility.

Sil waits, body still and mind calm. Set on alert ready to move.

The thing is twice the size of a wolf, body longer with the paws of a lion, but with too many heads to be either. A hissing sound escapes from the creature as it's tail curls around it's front leg. The middle head resembles that of a lion it's features slightly twisted, larger teeth, red mist eyes and horns. Above the lion is a skin tearing goat head, it's flesh drips off its frame showing a metallic bone underneath, eyes the same misty colour.

A Chimera of course, why not.

The second it sets to pounce Sil takes off through the next door down the stairs, the thing roars clearly upset, it doesn't take long for it to catch up, desperately trying to keep up with the Being.

The rooms and hallways along the cylinder are all made of glass, making it easy for Sil to keep track of where he's going. Down another set of stairs and he is officially fifteen levels down.

Dodging another attempt to take of his head Sil skids under a desk and through the next door. A Chimera isn't a problem to deal with for him, the problem is the space is too narrow, and attempting to shoot the thing with the pistol on his right thigh might result in something going _boom_.

Running around in circles to the bottom is definitely not a good solution. Stopping dead Sil makes a split second decision, ducking away from the snake he slips into the nearest room as the Chimera crashes into the wall.

Drawing his pistol Sil stops at the other side of the room. In his left hand a bright light starts to manifest in to a small marble sized ball. Ready for anything Sil takes a deep breath, watching, waiting.

It doesn't take long for the thing to stalk into the room, teeth bared and dripping green. It takes seconds for the snake to hiss and the lion to launch, claws sharp enough to tear through metal comes millimetres to Sil's neck before he moves. Sil jumps right, out of reach, to bring in his left hand to throw the orb, it immediately breaks apart, drowning the room in light too bright to see through.

Using his natural scanner Sil makes a break for the door, bringing up his pistol he shoots two shots into the glass right as he barrels through it.

Thirty five floors don't seem like that many when your falling. The Chimera, ever persistent is right behind Sil, no care for it's own life, it's only mission is to kill, sadly it won't survive the fall even if it tries Sil won't allow it. One last diamond bullet through the lion ends it's life.

Turning in the air Sil lands with a heavy thud on the marble white floors, hands barely grazing the floor. The Chimera's body hitting the floor is loud in the near silence.

The bottom of the beam sits in a type of multi metal ring, the same seems to be at the top. Dragging his fingers through the light reveals it is in fact a nuclear class elemental energy, odd for it to be in a human facility. Since he skipped so many floors Sil isn't sure if there very any files on the matter. Bit of a downside but not the worst.

The most eye catching thing on this barren level is a person, no not a human, a Android, about twenty of them standing along the perimeter like guards. There are more closer to the beam, but all of them are at a safe distance, all with the same face and all deactivated.

Something must have happened for everything to come to a stand still like this.

Walking to the nearest one Sil grabs its chin to tilt it's head down, nothing seems odd or wrong, the scanner shows nothing broken or bent, no faulty wires ether. There should be no reason it's off. The Android seems like a male, maybe early twenties, with short black hair, wearing a red military outfit.

"Interesting." Sil mumbles. "Hey you, eyes open." The Android's eyes snap open at the command, instantly locking it's brown eyes onto Sil's swirling storm gray ones. It's own start to twist, spiralling clockwise, taking on the appearance of a red lightning bound sky.

"See the world through my eyes." Sil let's go as the android starts rapidly blinking, falling back a step he brings his hands up, turning them back and forth, he seems completely confused as to what is happening.

The android's head tilts back up as Sil moves away to the out of place black panel by a set of double doors.

"Who are you?" The Android asks.

Sil casts a glance over his shoulder. "I Think you already know that," Keeping his voice steady he breaks the lock, letting it fall to the floor as he opens the panel. Inside is a mess of wires most are black but a vast majority of them are coloured. "Though you did just get a boatload of info, your processors might take a while to sort through all that."

Sil huffs turning to the android. "You happen to know which one of these opens that set of doors over there?"

The android hesitantly takes a step toward the box. "The uh, black wires connects to most of the energy suppressors and shields around the power point." He points to the base of the beam. Turning to the collection of doors to their left. "The colours each represent a line that is located in their respective codes and on top of the door handles." His arm drops shuffling nervously when Sil's eyebrows furrow.

"Good to know didn't need that info though, nevertheless thanks. Now which colour is this one." Sil hums walking to the nearest one.

The android watches Sil stalk the room in search of all the different codes. A few minutes later the Android nods, voice a little louder now. "Is there something in particular you are looking for?"

"Depends, you know where this thing is powered from." Nodding to the blue beam Sil takes a stand in front of the Android. Before he can get a answer out Sil holds up a finger. "Hold that, you have a name?"

The Android blinks surprised. "My model number is ZFX 935-"

"No no no." Sil waves his hands in a stopping motion, crossing them into a X. "Not your damn model number, even if the ZFX is a nuclear resistant line meant to patrol radioactive areas, which is _interesting_. I mean your _name_ like me, I'm Sil, my best friends names are Finn and Asura." Jabbing a finger at the Android he asks again. "What is yours."

"I don't have one." The tone is simple and blank, different from the somewhat confusedly curious one he'd been using. A name isn't something a machine gets to have.

Sil makes a drawn out, "ahh." sound tapping his pointer finger against his chin, his stormy eyes seems to see into the very heart of the Android. A slight uncomfortable silence hangs in the air, two minutes pass of this, making the Android shift, uncertain if asking or backing away is permitted in this scenario.

Sil clicks his fingers, lighter voice exclaiming "Vincent! How about that for a name?" Blinking in surprise the Android tries out the name in his head, pleased when it sounds _right_. It is perhaps the first thing he's received since He woke up, so long ago now.

"I, like it." Vincent officially decides.

Sil smiles at the happy look on Vincent's face. Sticking out his hand Sil laughs. "Well then, hello there Vincent, my name's Silvidia but everyone calls me Sil, it's a honor to meet you."

Vincent shakes his hand firmly. Turning to the panel on the wall he asks. "What are you trying to do?"

"Oh right, the Oculon squad got a report like three days ago about a massive energy surge." He nods to the beam. "I'm guessing one of the shields went down, anyway it kinda alarmed a lot of people. Thankfully I was in the area, so naturally I was the first person they'd contact." Sil showcases the small silver badge, it's a small triangle with a short bladed sword in it. "Before you ask I'm a honorary member of the God squad, if you wanna know more on that I'll explain later, for now though, you know if there's a door leading further down?"

"There is a elevator leading down to the cavern where the raw resources are harvested. Is that what you are looking for?" Vincent asks, once Sil confirms he walks over to the panel, rooting through the wires he delicately pulls out the bright blue one, snapping it in half unlocks the biggest of the doors in the room.

They open with a hiss as Sil steps closer. "Well if that ain't convenient." Slapping his hands together he gestures for Vincent to follow into the elevator, hesitantly he does.

Pressing the only button on the side, they start on the long way down. The cylinder is all together fifty levels, most of them rooms of computers or like the lower levels, labs, engine room and the like. It gets dwarfed when compared to this. The elevator's back pane is entirely glass, it's track down also glass, giving a clear view of the luminescent cavern stretched beyond the borders of the base.

Mushroom trees spread across the landscape, a few wooden ones blend in with neon green vines crawling along their base over the rocks and up the cliff. Knee high blue grass speckled with flowers of all shapes and sizes the colour of the rainbow. With no natural sunlight it's all illuminated purely by the plants, moss, trees. It's _wild._ Even with the touch of human burned into the soil, a part already rebuilding, covering up the blemish, smoothing back to perfection.

The thing most catching is the shimmering bright pink liquid like river flowing down the cliff, past the elevator to a lake further down.

"Hey Vince," Sil's tone is no longer the lilting sarcastic one it had been up until now. It is darker, serious, almost upset. "You model line is ZFX, right." it isn't phrased like a question, more like confirming a suspicion. Vincent tilts his head, not understanding why Sil is upset.

"Yes." Nothing else is said in the time it takes the elevator to reach the bottom.

-

Outside the elevator is as expected, the air is clean but heavy. A thin layer of toxicity gangs like a spiderweb.

Vincent's system realigns itself with a click, metal plating complaining lightly as it slides a thin plastic like piece over the bridge of his nose, it is clearly more than just skin deep. A purifier of sorts.

"I'll take it the reason for all the nuclear resistant androids is because the humans who came down here all died." Sil makes his way down to the river, having no problems breathing down here. 

Nodding Vincent eyed the river, fidgeting with his hands. Up close like this he sees the colour isn't just pink, flowing under is greens, purples and yellows. The primary colour casts the surrounding area in a almost _soft_ pastel pink.

"Yes that is correct. The environment isn't designed for anything that has not been born here." Tilting his head at Sil crouching down by the river, he corrects himself. "Well, almost anything."

"Anything Human you mean." Sil drags a hand through the liquid, ignoring the strangled sound Vincent makes behind him. "Nothing Human can survive down here without help." Reaching a hand into his coat he pulls out a small blue tinted vial. "Even the androids they sent eventually burned out, that's probably why there's so many of you." Capping the vial with some of the liquid, Sil stanches it back inside his coat.

He smiles over his shoulder at Vincent. "Thankfully for you, I'm not human." It lasts only the barest hint of a second, but Vincent swears he could see something moving behind Sil's back, something flickering above his head too.

"You seem somewhat familiar with this place." The ground gives a violent shake, breaking loose a few needle point Icey stalagmites. Vincent flinches when one drops a few feet to his right. "Do you know it?" A light rain of dust flutters in the air, reflecting green glitter around the cavern.

"Yip, I'm gonna have to talk to Aberrant about this."

Dusting off his knees Sil stretches. "Well I got most of what i need down here, I do have a few questions for you though." The hand landing on his shoulder gently pushes Vincent back to the elevator. "lets head out before you rust, yeah?"

"What is it you would like to know?" Vincent asks once they are back on the elevator, shaking off the light layer of green dust.

Sil hums leaning on the arm rail. "Just a few things really." He holds up a finger. "First, Where the hell is the Human gang?"

"Dead."

Sil blinks, hand falling back to his side, clearly not expecting that answer. "Oh?"

"They were trying to tap into more power than they could handle, it backfired, badly. The energy beam in the center exploded outward, coating everything and everyone in a layer of nuclear waste" Vincent explains, Watching as Sil's face twists to exasperation.

Rolling his eyes Sil exclaims. "Humans." Focusing back on him Sil says. "Element."

"Excuse me?"

"The pink stuff down there, it's called Element. The raw Liquid version of a planets core, 's the reason so very few can survive in it's presence." Vincent's face is clear to read, he and the rest of the poor fools didn't know just what exactly they were dealing with.

Sighing Sil holds up a two fingers. "Secondly, do you know where this places mainframe is?"

Vincent straightens his back nodding confidently. "Yes, on the fourteenth floor, room seven."

"Great, that's good!" Sil grins eyes flashing a hint of green. "Can you take me there?"

"Yes I can." Vincent confirms.

"Ok ok, last question." Holding up three fingers he asks. "I want you to join my team."

Vincent is struck speechless. Mouth moving like a fish. He only manages to choke out one word. "Why." 

Sil shrugs arms crossing. "Why not?"

Stuttering Vincent tries to make sense as to why Sil would want a Android, a _machine_ to join his team.

"Wouldn't it be more convenient to deposit me back to my space? I am a Android not a living Being. What use would I be? I understand nothing of your world and I do not know how to useful to you." Halfway through Vincent's internal freak out, Sil dragged his hand down his face seemingly very tired all of a sudden.

Vincent snaps his month shut when Sil gestures at him to stop.

"Here's the deal, I have my own team, one Global allows me to make and manage. I only work with two people from the outside, Finn and Asura, the rest are all beings I've converted." Making sure he's following along Sil turns around to show him the symbol on the back of his coat. Moving his hair out of the way shows a metal shield design, in it is half a set of human ribs, a lung seemingly moving on the fabric. Each of the ribs has a name on them, before Vincent can scan them Sil speaks up.

"The names represent the different teams we work with. A few of them are the normal ones we work with like Global, The Tag Teams, The God squad, The Decon Analiz." Sil drops his hair, turning back around.

"And the others?" Vincent cautiously asks, not entirely sure where this is going.

"The others is all the trauma teams we work with, Red X, Code 9, 7 Lives and the like. We're part of The Guardians, a kinda separate group from Global. We have some of the best doctors, scientist, engineers and the like working together as a defense." Vincent watches as Sil takes a deep breath to calm down some of the energy gathering around him.

"One of the others I've reverted, nicknamed Blue, is our hacker and sniper, he works to make sure we know everything we can about a situation before we go barging in. This mission doesn't count since I'm sure he's pretty upset about being muted." Sil points to the little red dot behind his ear, for a split second it flashes blue. Vincent nods unsure.

"If it makes you feel any better we're mostly scouts, helping the bigger teams get things done as fast and safe as possible. We only get involved if things truly get bad, or if a Supernatural Doctor is required."

Sticking out a hand Sil asks, "So what do you say, help us? We'll help with anything you need to know." Theirs's a hint of hope in his tone, waiting for Vince's answer.

This whole thing sounded mad in Vincent's opinion, he needs a lot more information on everything, but it does sound, _good._ Like something he could maybe help with. Still, all the information he has received in such a short period of time is overwhelming. But being basically considered a high risk scout is better than being stuck here for however long it takes to shut down. Giving it a try couldn't hurt, right? 

Taking Sil's hand with conviction he says, "Yes." The doors slide open behind him, but he's focused on Sil's answering smile.

"Welcome to the team"


	2. Bright Lights

It's been three long weeks since Vincent joined the team.

Three weeks of meeting the others, and getting to know them. Finally almost understanding _why_ Sil wanted him on the team.

The first one he meets is Blue.

Blue is a Android, a far superior one who could hack and manage nearly any system. Controlling their mission targets cameras and systems to what he wants them to see, or just down right burn their mainframe. There's a mechanism in his forearm that can create pinpoint perfect bullets for any weapon, bullets capable of nearly instantly taking down targets.

Vincent wasn't even aware technology was advanced enough to create such highly realistic and advanced beings. Though according to Blue when he and Sil met he was a desktop robot, who later in life got his current body custom made. Vincent doesn't quite understand what that means yet, but before he could ask Blue went off on a tangent about planetary evolution.

Blue sports the same stormy eyes as Sil, and he guesses, now him.

-

A Shock of Blue enters his peripherals, coming to a standstill _far_ too close for comfort.

Blinking back into the real world Vincent dazedly stares at the being in front of him, one with too blue _everything_. With clothes the colour of the ocean, a deep almost green clashing oddly with hair, a near black fading to the lightest almost white. A furious storm moves in his eyes, colour almost azure for a second before fading to next too blue it can find.

It makes sense why Blue is his nickname. Though his real name is not yet something Vincent has learned.

"Well hello there scatter brain, thought you short-circuited for a hot second." Blue's voice and speech pattern is odd. His higher pitched almost melodic tone tends to jump around with different words. It especially isn't right when he starts a conversation out loud while already in the middle of one in his head.

Blue huffs throwing himself down on the coach Vincent is occupying.

"Good news though, Sil'l be back in a few hours." Blue turns on his back to point at the three large monitors behind the dark halfmoon desk, the one in the middle sits slightly tilted down with the other two turned to face the chair on the other side of the desk.

Vincent doesn't quite understand how Blue knows what is going on, since everything is all over the place on the screen. Thankfully the middle one is currently on a digital green lined map, targeted to show the others locations, it is due to the micro takers embedded in their necks that their every move is tracked. One he's also had to get.

Blue's head drops on Vincent's legs startling him back into reality. "It seems like getting lost in your head's your new normal huh?" Flicking Vincent on the forehead Blue rolls off the couch to stretch, a popping noise can be heard coming from his shoulder, he gives it worried glance for a second before prancing off through the door.

With Blue gone the room plunges into silence, the light streaming in through the curtains also seem to dim.

-

Two hours later finds Sil back at home base with the official documentation to initiate Vincent into the program, it didn't take much convincing to have the others agree to sign him on since Sil did have a pretty stable foundation to stand on. It also helped that the God Squad leader and his best friend Asura vouched for him against the stubborn members.

He can't blame them though, not with everything happening lately.

At least they don't need him for anything, well for now.

Sil pushes past the thick undergrowth of the large jungle trees, past the multitude of flowers and long grass to finally get to the old once stone path.

Sil isn't the fondest of this particular rain forest infested planet, mostly because of the numerous amounts of man eating plants, giant bugs and territorial natives. He's just glad the bunker is somewhat hidden and the natives don't come this way often.

A few minutes of searching later Sil finally finds the handle under a mess of vines that probably sprouted in the seconds he wasn't looking.

The first thing he sees upon opening the door is a somewhat annoyed Blue staring him down.

"You got my message then."

"Oh, no, I did in fact _not_ get your email about how we need to _Withhold info_ to our newest recruit about something that _directly involves him_." Blue huffs glaring at Sil. Arms crossed over his chest, Sil feels like he just offended his mother.

Sighing Sil heads down the hallway, avoiding any closed doors. "I'm gonna take that as a yes." Light peeks through the vines encompassing the glass ceiling, lighting the hall in a dusty gold.

"Ok now listen give me the reason, as to the _why,_ and then I'll decide if I'm angry or not, K?" Blue tilts his digital iPad, indicating to the still open email, the letters are big and bold.

DO NOT TELL HIM ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING, THAT GOES FOR YOU TOO PANDORA.

Not for the first time Sil wonders why all Blue's things are in all caps.

"I don't know if you've noticed but, Vince isn't exactly in the right mind right now, and I don't want to give him false hope that we found something when we actually didn't" Sil drags a hand down his face. The darkness under his eyes seem darker under this light. "I don't want, " Sighing Sil turns to Blue. "I don't want Vince to fight for something he doesn't understand and doesn't want to fight for."

Blue quirks a lopsided smile. "Who says he won't? Vince? Since i don't remember you asking him I'm gonna say no you haven't" patting Sil's shoulder he nods to the door they've stopped at. "I get what your not saying, but, give him some credit yeah? Ask him, get his opinion then we'll talk, K? Have a little faith in us." He slips through the door leaving Sil alone.

Sil shakes out his limbs, nervous energy building back up, lighting a thin layer across his skin.

He knows nothing they have ever done and probably will do goes the way they want it to, he knows it's _fine_ , he knows _everything will be fine_. Giving too little credit to people he doesn't want to disappoint ends up always making him nervous. Changing people makes him nervous, it feels like he owes them more, a chance at a _true_ life, not one controlled by _him_.

No.

Micro doesn't think that, neither do Lillith or Lin, Vince won't either. 

Sil sighs thumbing at his temples. He needs sleep.

-

Blue scrolls past the multitude of messages clogging up the log, wondering why he's still not muted the group chat, namely the G&G Chat with over seventy _very_ active members. 

In his quest to find normality again among the hundreds of messages a new one pops up, this one is on the monitor itself instead of the messenger.

Found something you might be interested in? With it is a link.

Clicking it shows a series of rapidly taken photos, all lining up to create a perfectly animated scene. He plays it a few times trying to make something of the grainy, distorted lines.

It's too dark to make out much but, there! That doesn't seem right. Clicking past a few different areas Blue tries to match the blurry background to places he knows. Finding one that seems to match he sends the photos back to Pandora.

Sil opens the door just then, distracting Blue from his current mission of doing actual work.

Vincent still sitting glumly on the coach imminently looks more lively, back straightening, eyes alert. 

"Good evening Sil." He greets, still strangely formal.

"Hey you, ok listen here I've got two things to tell you." Sil pulls a stack of papers from seemingly nowhere, proudly displaying them to a bewildered Vincent. He's clearly trying hard to understand where those came from. Blue has to hide a laugh.

"This is the official documents of your transfer." Sil hands him the stack of papers with a fancy ink pen Blue's forgotten the name of, in a dramatic flourish.

"All you got to do is sign your name here."

Taking the pen in hand Vincent carefully writes his name. Once he's done the ink lights up in a shining red colour for a few seconds.

"Congratulations Vincent your now officially part of this team!" Blue sends a hand full of sparks his way in a show of tiny fireworks.

"Welcome aboard." Sil agrees with a thumbs up.

Vincent stares at his signature just below Sil's, and to Blue's surprise, _smiles._ Oh he can't wait to see where this goes.

"Alright ready for your first assignment?" Sil asks him, Vincent's not been able to go or do much of anything in the last weeks, so the mention of going and doing something now with Sil who's team he's apart of makes him visibly exited.

"Yes." Vincent sets the papers down on the table standing up, eyes shinning.

"Good. We're heading out to the Ichor Wilds, a piece of info those two have manage to recover shows a lot of activity in the area. We don't know what it is, we don't know if it's still there and we don't know where. It's gonna be a bit of a wild goose chase." Sil points to the screen showing the map Blue's pulled up. "Most likely a dead end but, worth a shot?"

Vincent nods eyes scanning the screen. "Maybe but there could still be something, Have you two been able to recover anything else?" The question is directed at Blue, who is currently sliding down his chair, now dressed in a dark nightgown and pink butterfly pyjamas, the words 'Don't judge me' printed on the back.

Blue feels terribly underdressed compared to the others battle gear.

"Sadly no, whoever tried to erase and encrypt these did a pretty good job, so we're faced with the problem that most of the files we're trying to open ends up deleting itself." Blue sighs sliding further down. "Pandora's having more luck than me, but he's also busy with literally everything else, so it's slow going." Blue shrugs, highlighting a point on the map.

"If you guys get to the landing pad in the next twenty minutes I can secure you a ride. Or you know, you could just like, teleport, Sil it is up to you." Sil turns to his watch tapping the front on, his eyes goes wide at the time displayed. Turning to Vincent he says.

"Well then lets pack, fast."

-

"Next time we're teleporting."

Seven hours of traveling through the ninth galaxy found them at the Ichor Wilds on the planet of Svarheth.

It was also seven hours the pilot, three crew members and Vincent had to endure the never ending complaints from Sil. Who had completely occupied one of the first class booths. He had three computers and five stacks of papers, some who Vincent saw Sil practically tried to glare out of existence.

He was mildly concerned, however a quick call using his new earpiece had Blue explain how Sil just did not have the patience to read every word of 'Nonsense noble concerns'.

Blue did however end up playing a series of his favourite playlists, most of which Vincent ended up enjoying. The view wasn't bad either.

"Now where is our supposed guide." Making sure they had everything Vincent followed along on Sil's mission to find a Ranger.

It didn't take too long in the pretty desolate airport.

"Hey there!" Sil turns to the person he hopes is their guide, a woman dressed in typical army gear, the standard dark green under a camouflage vest. She also has a gun strapped to her side.

"I'm hoping your the people I'm supposed to meet, Silvidia and Vincent?" She asks coming to a stop next to them.

"You got it, I'm gonna take it your our guide" Sil shows a her a badge with the Guardians official symbol. The Ranger takes a close look at it for a second, nodding when she verifies it's real.

"That I am, Names Maya, a pleasure." She shakes Sil's hand in a firm grip doing the same to Vincent.

"Call me Sil, please."

Maya leads them out of the airport to a jeep, one clearly designed to deal with the dangerous Savanna terrain.

Settling their bags on the back, Sil hops into the front with Maya, already dreading how hot the day is going to get. Grabbing a clip out of his canvas bag Sil ties his hair into a ponytail. Checking everything one last time Vincent takes the seat behind Sil.

"We good to go?" Maya asks them, clicking on the switches next to the wheel.

Answering with a yes they set off into the wild.

-

The Ichor Wilds, a place Sil hasn't really been to, mostly because of the numerous amounts of viscous wildlife. Ranging from small little mouse sized face eaters to the legendary Ichor Dragon.

"The first time someone set foot on this planet they got blasted off the face of existence, scaring the rest so much they left and never came back, some six hundred years later another group tried, this time with a Dragon specialist."

"A Emperor Blood Dragon is what it's official name I believe, only one on the planet, and one of the few existing ones still alive."

"Got that right Sil! Deeming the place unsafe for inhabitation they decided to make it a Rescue, research and protective beacon of natural flora and fauna.

Very few civilians set foot here, even less poachers looking for easy money, if we don't take you down first something else will."

"With animals like these? I'm honestly surprised someone would think it a good idea to mess with a overgrown cat able to breath fire. Like that thing over there looking like a sentient smiley face ready to devour my existence, or like... What the hell even is that?

"The blob with the many eyeballs? Yeah my job does not involve me being a scientist, thankfully. We call it Blob Eye by the way."

"Real creative."

" _Anyway._ Thanks to The Dragon this place got it's name easily. The blood of Gods is called Ichor, so they thought it being a Emperor was close enough.

Dubbing it The Ichor Wilds."

Driving past all the different and weird creatures is a fun and terrifying experience, one Vincent is glad to be apart of. There is nothing in his database like these unique creatures.

Some with too many legs or eyes, horns, faces, tails bodies so morphed some didn't even look anything like a animal.

Between Maya's telling's of the history and Sil's comments on the Creatures, Vincent's having _fun_ , it's a odd feeling, but, not bad.

Sil while not enjoying the big as a car bugs flying around, didn't hate the place as much as he expected. Maya gave him a map and book of the creatures residing here. Interestingly enough there was only one Dragon, well one proper dragon. The others called Wyrms were just floating tubes with tiny little T-rex arms. Sil found them funny for all of two seconds, until he read about them breathing electricity.

Glancing at the rear view mirror Sil watched the childlike awe on Vincent's face with every new animal they passed. Having someone learn the universe in their own time, _without_ his memories of it is always rewarding. He shares the silent thought with Blue.

Once he started asking Maya questions about the wildlife Sil's soul fled. Vincent asked a million questions about what felt like every animal they crossed, Maya quite happily answered them all, throwing questions back at him on all of the plant species he could identify. When it started turning into a pop quiz thirty minutes in Sil started to tune them out.

A pause in the conversation allowed him to finally ask.

"How far out are we?"

Maya cast him a glance as they passed a heard of eight legged dear.

"About another twenty, don't worry we're almost there." Sighing Sil folded the map in half to use as a makeshift umbrella. The heat had started going from warm pleasant to hot uncomfortable in the last few miles. It is a savanna though, he doesn't really know what he was expecting.

Maya was clearly used to it.

Vincent being a Android meant he wasn't effected either.

He is a touch jealous.

-

When they finally pulled up to the main Ranger facility Sil was just about ready to melt into a puddle.

A large wooden building sat on stilts greeted them, it was imbedded halfway into the pond. A array of trees around it gave it a, 'Cabin in the woods 'feel.

Two hours sitting in the jeep made Sil almost buy the ground, managing to balance he shakes out his shaky limbs.

Vincent easily slides out his seat, walking around to grab the bags in the back.

"How was the ride." Maya tapped her keys on the scanner next to the door, a beep can be heard as it slides open.

Eyeing the stairs they follow her.

"Other than the fact I never want go outside again? Great." Sil grumbled, face a little too red.

"It was greatly enjoyable, thank you." Vincent grinned, cool as a ice cube.

"Great, I'm glad" She chuckled.

-

Sadly their time at the Ranger station didn't last long.

They had met up with the one of the trackers and the Head Ranger, who gave them a clear view of the area around the reported anomaly.

Ester Crater, they called it, breeding grounds for the mutated and horrifying monsters roaming the darkened pathways late in the year.

Inky, the tracker who was called in by Maya's superior gave them the full damage list of things gone wrong with that area. It did not look good.

"Damage to the land is odd, radiated but no radiation type of deal. Heading into the in-between didn't give me much, but, from what I did gather it wasn't a meteor, I'm thinking ether a Galaxy type or a Angel crashed, which is weird since neither really comes to this star system. 

Anyway the place is warped, uneven gravity field, light bending in wrong directions, sound not traveling, things like that.

There _was_ a area I couldn't get to, a almost invisible dome, whatever is their might not be too friendly. I decided not to push my luck.

I'd recommend you leave the place alone but if you really want to I can send you the safest route I could find." 

You know it's not good when a pro who deals with things like this on the daily tells you to not go.

-

They had to stop a mile off to their target.

Sil had started looking increasingly more ill the longer they drove, his palms to his forehead, eyes squinted closed. He would fight them on stopping until the thirty minute mark, when he officially called it quits. They were close enough to the target that they decided it would be better to walk.

Maya who decided to tag along, thought it best to leave the jeep under the nearest tree, a plan he agreed with.

The area looked normal, with miles of near barren wasteland, animals went about their way barely sparing them a glance, trees swaying softly in the wind, sun beating down on the hard ground, no sigh of a crater or weirdness. Sitting in the jeep a while longer seemed to calm the raging headache in Sil's skull

"Are we in the right place?" Sil asked staring over the land with his newly acquired hat.

"Good question, show me the map." Taking the tablet from Sil's outstretched hand Maya started walking the area, turning it this way and that.

Vincent upon spotting a shiny golden thing wandered further past Sil. The ground started feeling uneven, mushy, mud like. Ignoring it he kept going.

It was only when he saw the warning signs in his peripherals that he noticed his lowering oxygen intake. 

Two more steps, he fell.

-

Sil's alarmed shout had Maya on high alert running to his bewildered form.

"What, what happened." She asked searching for the other one. A wasteland around them with a few birds is all she finds.

Sil gestured with the hand covering his mouth. "Vincent just disappeared." He sputters.

The area around them had nothing but sand. She sees a glowing piece of metal just past where Sil has backed away.

Carefully taking her weapon in hand she took a slow step forward.

"Wait." Sil lightly taps her shoulder, other hand raised to his ear. A series of clouds passing over the sun shines darkness to a moving shape, fluttering fabric turning with no wind.

Nodding Sil says. "He's fine, fell into the crater." 

"What crater."

"It's behind a illusion, I think. I can't see it." Sil hisses, the harder he tries to focused on it the blurrier his vison gets.

"Can we walk through it?" Securing her weapon Maya grabs a nearby stick.

"We can, but Vince says the border is right at the edge. So we can...walk, around." He trails off watching Maya poke around the area with a stick.

The stick's end disappearing has Maya carefully taking a step forward. Finding solid ground she peers inside. The hole is larger than she expected, with steep slopes made of soft sand, easy to slip on.

"Welcome." Vincent says with a sheepish look, arms crossed. She feels a little bad for wanting to laugh.

"Evening."

"Would you look at that, smart people solutions." Sil nods in approval. "I'm not going down there by the way."

Ignoring him Maya slides down the slope. Reaching the bottom puffs up a layer of near invisible fog, a layer she now sees covers the area in a thick heavy blanket of silence, edges rippling with the power emanating around them.

Vincent holds his cupped hands out to her, in them lays a wispy blue essence swimming in lazy circles.

"What is it? I can't see" Sil cranes his neck. 

Sighing Maya opens her arms. "Then how about you grace us with your presence down here?" She asks exasperated.

"And what, get stuck? Ha. No." He huffs, sitting on the ground he crosses his arms. Clearly unwilling to move.

Vincent huffs behind her, sending the wisp in Sil's direction. "At least you didn't fly with us." He murmurs. Blue fluff clinging to his hair.

"Do you think this is the anomaly they spoke of?" Vincent kneels close to a dead fallen tree, on the branches rests more of the wisps. A few more start to circle Maya, lightly lading on her arms.

"I think so," Sil mutters, a wisp lands on his knee.

"What are they?" Maya asks, noticing how there seems to be more now. They dance and swirl, never leaving the area, never going higher than where Sil sits. They seem familiar.

"They're the shattered parts of a Angel." Sil answers, fingers lightly grazing the wisp.

Eyes wide Vincent tries to speak a few times, face as shocked as she feels "What." He stutters out. Gentle with the wisp in his hands.

"Inky was right about a Angel."

"Don't they dissipate into the earth when they die or something?." Maya is finding it hard to believe this is the remnants of a Angel, in all her years of having to take numerus courses about beings and all the books she's read always describes Angels as beings of light, and when they die they dissipate. Rarely do they leave anything behind. Especially not this much.

"When they die yes." He lift the wisp. "This one isn't all the way dead though."

Maya sees Vincent frown, shoulders slumping. So different from his earlier demeaner. It looks almost wrong.

"So this one isn't dead. Explain."

"This one got torn apart, involuntarily. Probably got attacked on the way, had to detour, this was the closest planet." A light wind of blue circles the inside of the bubble, sending wisps flying and fluttering in shapes. "The Being who did this was most likely after the Angel's essence. Used in the right way it can cause some serious damage."

They start to morph, moving and twisting, creating. "Making a barrier they trapped it, locking it away, using it to slowly syphon off little bits of power. Not enough to be noticed easily by anyone." A humanoid figure moves in a whirlwind of energy shifting spike coated mist.

"Most of the time when they are like this, there's nothing we can do. Eventually though they sink into the world around them." Tendrils of light slither through the air, making the grass grow where it moves by.

Staring in awe Maya feels the essence twining around her soul, calm, curious, _powerful_.

Vincent hesitantly reaches out when a few curl around him, feeling like the ocean on a rough day, rushing, fleeing _light_.

"Is there a way to help one?" Maya asks, skin taking on a dim glow.

"Yes" He answers. They shiver as the temperature takes a drop into freezing territory. "Its not easy." Snow falls gently from above, dusting everything white. "But it's possible."

The snow flutters in a flurry twisting around the inhuman form, casting the area into a blizzard. Covering their eyes when The Angel glows too bright to see. All in one everything stops, no more snow, or noise.

Only one tiny light remains, a marble sized ball of pure Angel floats lazily above them.

"Can we try?"

"If The Angel agrees, sure." Maya watches as the light lands on Vincent's palm in a imitation of sitting. It dims down to a soft blue, no longer blinding. Weirdly enough it looks almost content. Well as content as a ball of swirling essence can look. She turns away from Vincent's awe struck expression to Sil.

"Was this what you were hoping to find." Sil tilts his head with a lopsided smile, an emotion of _something_ passing in his eyes.

"No. It's interesting though."

She doesn't know what even she was expecting, but this, this was something she is glad to be apart of. It's not everyday you get to be this close to a Angel.

Or whatever _he_ pretends to be.


End file.
